Melvin Dowdy, age 91, passed away on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo. He was born February 15, 1930 to Henry Milton and Nannie Mae Buchanan Dowdy. Melvin was currently a member of Cairo Baptist Church and was a longtime member of Shady Grove Baptist Church. He was also a Mason, and member of the Eastern Star and Lions Club. Melvin enjoyed working, farming, operating heavy equipment and loved baseball and watching his grandson play ball.
Services will be at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at Browning Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Joey Moody and Rev. Brock McWhirter officiating; burial will follow in Shady Grove Cemetery. Browning Funeral Home is honored to assist the family with the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Vanetta Newsum Dowdy; his daughter, Debbie Henry (Virgil); son, Kenny Dowdy (Rhonda); step-daughter, Donna Sauer (Devin); step-son, Mike Swords (Charlotte); two sisters, Mildred Kidd and Joyce McMillen (Jack); seven grandchildren, Melanie Laumann (Chris), Amanda Word (Bernard), Natalie Dowdy Robbins (Christopher), Stephanie Dowdy Davis (Dustin), Tyler Dowdy (Rachel), Julie Kidd Whitfield (Chris), Matthew Kinkennon (Amanda); two step-grandchildren, Blake Swords and Clint Harper; and fourteen great-grandchildren, Joshua Jobe, Chandler Laumann, Weston Watkins, Jackson Robbins, Cade Robbins, Connor Norris, Laken Norris, Taylor Norris, Abby Whitfield, Asher Whitfield, Olivia Whitfield, Will Whitfield, Isaiah Whitfield, Memory Kinkennon; and five step-great-grandchildren Travance Whitfield, Tylan Whitfield (Emily), Tariq Whitfield, Taran Whitfield and Sariah Whitfield; and one step-greatgrandchild Natalie Harper; and two great-great-grandchildren, Adalynn and Carston Jobe.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 55 years, the mother of his children, Louise McCollum Dowdy, and a daughter and son-in-law, Linda Word (Don).
Pallbearers will be Tyler Dowdy, Matt Kinkennon, Dustin Davis, Christopher Robbins, Chris Whitfield, and Jeff Dowdy. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Swords, Carl Sudduth and Ken Nowlin.
Visitation will be from 11 AM until service time at the funeral home on Tuesday.
Memorials may be sent to Sanctuary Hospice House, 5159 W. Main Street, Tupelo, MS 38801.
Condolences may be offered at www.browningpontotoc.com
